Employers who bring in migrant labour should be required to provide training for British workers at the same time, one of the government's leading advisers on migration suggested yesterday.
David Metcalf, chair of the Migration Advisory Committee (MAC), said the recession was likely to lead to a substantial fall in east European migrants to Britain, which may "smooth the economic cycle a bit".
Speaking at a "migration summit" in London yesterday, Metcalf dismissed recent claims that the UK population, driven by rising immigration, would reach 70 million, saying they used projections from the recent net migration levels which were now very likely to fall.
The chairman of the MAC, which identifies occupational shortages under the new points-based immigration system, said it was looking to tighten up the system in the face of rising unemployment.
As well as removing certain occupations from the shortage lists, he said, other measures could be taken, including a review of "intra-company transfers" under which overseas firms bring staff to Britain. Metcalf noted there were concerns, particularly in the IT industry, that this route was used to undercut British workers.
But he said one idea to deal with the problem of filling shortage occupations with migrants at a time of rising unemployment might be to make the provision of extra training a condition of granting the certificates of sponsorship employers now need to bring in overseas staff.
At the same migration summit, organised by the Equality and Human Rights Commission, the communities secretary, Hazel Blears, confirmed that new migrants are to face a £50 levy to finance a £70m two-year "migration impact fund".
She said the fund would be used to provide extra housing officers to enforce regulation of bedsits, additional support teachers for schools with large numbers of migrant children, and interpreters who could work across services such as health and the police. It will also be used to ensure migrants learn English.
The £50 levy will be in addition to the usual visa fees faced by migrants from outside Europe, meaning some immigration fees will break through the £1,000 barrier for the first time.
Universities UK said it was disappointed with the decision that the £50 levy would be applied to overseas students as well, saying they contributed considerably more to the UK economy than they used in public resources.
Jill Rutter, of the Institute of Public Policy Research's migration team, said the levy was a good way of getting money to public services quickly, but warned: "We should remember that most migrants are young and fit and not heavy users of public services.
"Government and local public services must be careful not to fuel anti-migrant sentiments by suggesting that migrants place strains on schools, the police and the NHS. In reality, migrants contribute to public service provision through taxation and as public service workers."